The Anchor Behind Student-Athletes
Staff Feature: Ng Kok Wei (Senior General Manager, Individual Programme)
When Mr Ng Kok Wei first walked through the gates of Singapore Sports School in 2008, he did not foresee that he would one day become the steady hand behind some of the nation’s high-performing SEA Games hopefuls.
Back then, he had joined as the General Manager for Swimming, arriving fresh from his role as a Physical Education and Mathematics teacher under the Ministry of Education. He was simply seeking a change of environment, one that allowed him to continue nurturing youth while staying close to sport. 17 years on, Mr Ng has worn many hats, each giving him the privilege of journeying alongside young student-athletes, watching them grow, and helping them discover who they could become.
“I’ve had the privilege of trying so many roles here. I started off as the General Manager for the Swimming Academy, served as a Boarding Manager, and even took on the role of Discipline Master,” he shared.
Yet what has remained constant is the way he shows up for student-athletes. His philosophy is simple: to walk alongside them through their sporting and personal journeys, offering belief and being available whenever they need support.
Today, as the Senior General Manager for the Individual Programme, Mr Ng oversees an incredibly diverse suite of sports – Beach Volleyball, Floorball, Golf, Ju Jitsu, Rollersports, Pencak Silat, Taekwondo, Weightlifting, Water Polo, Wrestling, and Wushu.
This year, his role feels especially meaningful. 12 current student-athletes under his care will be representing Singapore at the upcoming SEA Games in Thailand, with 10 of them making their debut. They include Chen Xingtong (Golf), Aniq 'Asri Mohammad Yazid, Rifqah Mursyidah Mistam (both Pencak Silat), Loh Geok Qin (Skating), Nichelle Tan Ying Xuan (Taekwondo), Charlene Tio Ji Suan, Chow Yong Jun, Justin Saik Kin Yan, Matthias Goh Zoltin (all Water Polo), Aryan Azman, Ursus Lee Yan Ze (both Wrestling), and Kassandra Ong Xue Ling (Wushu).
"Seeing them reach this milestone is deeply fulfilling,” he shared, though he rarely shows it outwardly. “What touches me most is when each of them does well, in sport and in life.” To many of these student-athletes, Mr Ng is the steady force behind them, providing guidance that is grounded in mutual respect. He describes himself as “a friend who is supportive yet not imposing.” His check-ins are subtle: he observes, anticipates needs, and remains present without hovering. “I hope to impart belief and offer availability,” he said. “I want them to know I’m here for them, in whatever way they need.”
As his SEA Games athletes prepare for their biggest stage yet, he offers one steady reminder: “I have belief in each of them. Be brave, stay humble, and trust your journey.”
When Mr Ng Kok Wei first walked through the gates of Singapore Sports School in 2008, he did not foresee that he would one day become the steady hand behind some of the nation’s high-performing SEA Games hopefuls.
Back then, he had joined as the General Manager for Swimming, arriving fresh from his role as a Physical Education and Mathematics teacher under the Ministry of Education. He was simply seeking a change of environment, one that allowed him to continue nurturing youth while staying close to sport. 17 years on, Mr Ng has worn many hats, each giving him the privilege of journeying alongside young student-athletes, watching them grow, and helping them discover who they could become.
“I’ve had the privilege of trying so many roles here. I started off as the General Manager for the Swimming Academy, served as a Boarding Manager, and even took on the role of Discipline Master,” he shared.
Yet what has remained constant is the way he shows up for student-athletes. His philosophy is simple: to walk alongside them through their sporting and personal journeys, offering belief and being available whenever they need support.
Today, as the Senior General Manager for the Individual Programme, Mr Ng oversees an incredibly diverse suite of sports – Beach Volleyball, Floorball, Golf, Ju Jitsu, Rollersports, Pencak Silat, Taekwondo, Weightlifting, Water Polo, Wrestling, and Wushu.
This year, his role feels especially meaningful. 12 current student-athletes under his care will be representing Singapore at the upcoming SEA Games in Thailand, with 10 of them making their debut. They include Chen Xingtong (Golf), Aniq 'Asri Mohammad Yazid, Rifqah Mursyidah Mistam (both Pencak Silat), Loh Geok Qin (Skating), Nichelle Tan Ying Xuan (Taekwondo), Charlene Tio Ji Suan, Chow Yong Jun, Justin Saik Kin Yan, Matthias Goh Zoltin (all Water Polo), Aryan Azman, Ursus Lee Yan Ze (both Wrestling), and Kassandra Ong Xue Ling (Wushu).
"Seeing them reach this milestone is deeply fulfilling,” he shared, though he rarely shows it outwardly. “What touches me most is when each of them does well, in sport and in life.” To many of these student-athletes, Mr Ng is the steady force behind them, providing guidance that is grounded in mutual respect. He describes himself as “a friend who is supportive yet not imposing.” His check-ins are subtle: he observes, anticipates needs, and remains present without hovering. “I hope to impart belief and offer availability,” he said. “I want them to know I’m here for them, in whatever way they need.”
As his SEA Games athletes prepare for their biggest stage yet, he offers one steady reminder: “I have belief in each of them. Be brave, stay humble, and trust your journey.”
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